This week, Padella opens its new Soho restaurant on its tenth birthday, a new Japanese handroll restaurant arrives in Soho, Jikoni comes to Stratford and more...
Padella
Soho - 2 Kingly Street, London W1B 5PB
This year, Padella are celebrating their tenth birthday and are doing it in style by opening their third restaurant in London. Their Soho restaurant is just beside Kingly Court, and you'll be able to find all the dishes that have made them one of the best pasta bars in London (if not the best). So the 8-hour beef shin ragu and the pici cacio e pepe will both be making an appearance. The prices remain very good for central London, and this venue will apparently have a 1960s-style Soho lounge downstairs.
Opening date: 17 April 2026
Kumori
Soho - 26 Denman Street, London W1D 7HX
London's having a bit of a Japanese handroll bar revolution at the moment. Only last week we had the opening of Maki & Nori, and now we have the arrival of Kumori. Particularly interesting about this opening is that the chef here only recently headed up the high-end kitchen of Tobi Masa over at the Chancery Rosewood. The handrolls here are being touted as using extra crispy nori, with handroll options including unagi foie gras, torched scallop, baked crab and toro with torched bone marrow.
Opening date: 16 April 2026
Honey & Co Great Portland
Fitzrovia - 216 Great Portland Street, London W1W 5QW
This used to be Honey & Smoke and is now being relaunched as the latest Honey & Co. As part of that, it's also becoming a deli and incorporating what was the nearby Honey & Spice, so if you want one of their excellent pistachio cookies, this is the place to come. On the wine side, Keeling Andrew importers (aka Noble Rot) are helping on the list, while dishes are a combination of small plates, skewers and desserts that include their famous (and fantastic) cheesecake.
Opening date: 13 April 2026
Cafe Jikoni at V&A East
Stratford - East Bank, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
The latest opening at the new V&A East is the East London outpost of Ravinder Bhogal's Jikoni. This Jikoni will be an all-day cafe and restaurant, with dishes including a prawn toast scotch egg and pies like a turmeric and ginger chicken pie. There will also be a classic Bombay sandwich with green chutney as well as Ravinder’s take on pies, sausage rolls, crumpets and cakes.
Opening date: 18 April 2026
Clio
Marylebone - 66 Chiltern Street, London W1U 6NG
This is a new modern Greek restaurant opening on Chiltern Street, which has Louis Korovilas (ex Pied à Terre and Bancone) in the kitchen. It's the latest to follow London's Mediterranean trend, with dishes planned for the menu including stone-baked ancient bread with Greek sheep’s butter and a big sharing dish in the shape of a suckling piglet belly with lemon and Cretan oregano.
Opening date: 16 April 2026
Rum Kitchen
Camden - 6 Inverness Street, London NW1 7HJ
Previously, Rum Kitchen closed all its sites around London. However, now it's making a comeback under new ownership, from the people who also own Cottons. Expect something similar to its previous incarnation, with the food here described as "beach shack-style", which includes salt cod fritters, oxtail croquettes and coconut prawns and bigger dishes of curried mutton and Jamaican fried chicken. There will, of course, be lots of rum, with the restaurant aiming to have the largest selection of rum in the capital.
Opening date: 16 April (50% off food until 19 April)
Here's what opened last week
Mitsu (Shoreditch) - This large Japanese izakaya took over from Nobu Shoreditch.
Cantoast (Marylebone) - An Asian-inspired bakery serving up salt breads and more.
Mondo to Go (Deptford) - The hugely popular sandwiches come to Deptford.
Weezie's (Belgravia) - Wine and pizza unite in this Belgravia opening.
The Horsemen (City of London) - An Irish/American pub (which is opening its restaurant this week).
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